1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a widget or graphical user interface (GUI) element that depicts three-dimensional (3D) scene orientation and includes direction indicating controls that allow a user to orient a view of the 3D scene to align with the direction indicated by the selected control and, more particularly, to a GUI element that is resident within the 3D scene, stays aligned with the scene as the scene is tumbled by the user, remains in the same position and at the same size in the display as the view changes, and has controls that automatically rotate the scene to a predetermined view when selected where a scene object is centered in the display and sized to fit the display.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the three-dimensional (3D) graphics art where computers are used to perform animation, 3D modeling and other tasks in which a 3D scene is depicted, it is important to orient the user to the view into the scene and to allow the user to easily change the view into the scene. Conventional interfaces 10 in the 3D art, such as shown in FIG. 1, can include an orientation gnomon 12 located in a display associated with a 3D scene 14. As the view changes, the gnomon in the display is adjusted to reflect changes in the view into the scene. The gnomon can also be located in the center of the scene or at the origin of the axes of the 3D scene. This gnomon cannot be used to change a view of the 3D scene.
What is needed is a gnomon that can be used to change a view of a 3D scene.
When a user wants to change the view of a scene, such as depicted in FIG. 1, to a particular desired view, the user can manipulate (tumble, rotate, translate, etc.) the scene to get the desired view. However, the user must be particularly aware of the current view and the manipulations needed to get to the desired view. This can be difficult if the view has been tumbled a number of different times along complex tumbling pathways. The user can also change the view to a desired view among a number of predefined views using a menu as depicted in FIG. 1. FIG. 1 depicts a pending selection of a back view. The menu selection view change process requires that the user move through a number of different menu levels (3 in this example) to make such a selection, which takes time that may be considered wasted. However, even when provided with such a menu, the menu selection needed to get the desired view based on the current view is often not readily apparent especially to an unsophisticated user.
What is needed is a system that provides the user with orientation information and selectable controls for view manipulation that do not require a complex selection process and that visually guide the user to a desired view with directional aids associated with the selection controls.